Will Iraq's Sunnis form semi-autonomous region if US troops leave?
Sunni politicians are said to be discussing the formation of a semi-autonomous Sunni region in Iraq following a parliamentary move supporting the expulsion of US troops from the country.
BAGHDAD — In tandem with efforts by Iraqi Shiite blocs to expel US forces from the country, Sunni parties are reconsidering a project to establish a semi-autonomous Sunni region in Iraq.
The move comes in response to the Sunni parties' rejection of a parliamentary vote in support of the Iraqi government ending its security agreement with Washington. Yet Iraqi Sunni forces deny there have been new moves to establish a Sunni region.
The Iraqi parliament voted Jan. 5 to end cooperation with the international coalition and to expel US forces from Iraq. Kurdish and Sunni blocs abstained from the vote, describing it as an ill-calculated response to the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Units.
Prominent Sunni leaders supposedly met in Dubai Jan. 12 to discuss the formation of a Sunni or Anbar region, as reported by Iraqi media. Although Iraqi parliamentary speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi, a Sunni, denied the news on Twitter and asserted the unity of Iraq, reports of a Dubai meeting provoked controversy. None of the figures alleged to have participated in the meeting issued statements.
